City works with OU Student Senate to clean up Athens

Ohio University Student Senate, with the help of the city council, is moving forward with plans for the eighth annual Athens Beautification day.Athens Beautification day, also know as Athens B-day, is the largest volunteer event in the city—growing from more than 150 volunteers the first year to over 850 in 2012.The program cleans up the city by picking up trash, planting, weeding, mulching and cleaning graffiti. The projects are mostly focused on street cleanups, parks and the local schools.In 2005, the OU men’s water polo team approached the Clean Litter Everywhere in Athens Now (CLEAN) committee, a group focused on trying to get more students engaged in taking care of the community, with a proposal to give back to Athens via “beautification.”“Citizens were pretty much up in arms about the amount of litter and the lack of cleanliness in the city at that time,” Third Ward Rep. Michele Papai, a member of CLEAN at the time, said. Together they drafted a plan and the community has since shown support.In past years, OU Student Senate has gathered groups such as sports teams, residence halls, non-profits, local businesses, area families, etc., to convene and divide the city into cleaning zones. Each group, armed with trash bags and gloves, works to improve the city’s appearance.The program is funded through organizations within the community, such as local businesses, city council and individual donors, as well as through the university and student organizations.“There has never been any opposition to the program and it is never hard to get volunteers,” Melinda Ruberg, commissioner of off-campus life and executive director of Athens Beautification Day, said.Ruberg has big plans for the event on April 14. The group plans to use volunteers and money more efficiently this year, as well as take better care of volunteers by providing transportation and more food and water.“We also want to create more of a community feel with our volunteers and reach out more to permanent residents,” Ruberg said.  “We are hoping this will become a household name.”